Positive Steps Residential Weekends

posted: 11/10/2011

Positive Steps - the social and support group for gay men living with HIV in North Greater Manchester and Lancashire - are organising 3 residential weekends between now and the end of July 2012. The weekends are funded by the Big Lottery Fund and are free to participants.

For more information click here

Please note that these weekends are run by the Positive Steps Group.
George House Trust has no involvement in these weekends either in terms of their organisation or their content

Weekends in the Country

posted: 14/02/2011

The next Living Proof weekend, for people who have lived with HIV for five years or longer, will be from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 March, near Stafford, south of Manchester.
 

The nltsg – National Long-Term Survivors Group - provides support to people who have been living with HIV for 5 or more years. nltsg is open to anyone who has been diagnosed HIV positive for five years. They welcome everyone as members.
 

Weekends : some funding help
nltsg receives no funding and charges for the Living Proof weekend cover the costs - £170. Help may be available for some people - if you live in NW England ask our services team about this.

Thanks to a generous award from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, nltsg offers a limited number of places to people who have not attended a nltsg weekend before. To qualify, you must

• be either over 50, OR
• be socially isolated (living in a rural location, low HIV prevalence area or otherwise unable to use local HIV support services), OR
• be a worker (paid or volunteer) in the HIV support sector.
Please contact them for details.

Weekends
The weekends are a safe space for people to come together for peer support, sharing experiences and discussing issues. Professional facilitators hold discussion groups and workshops, but users decide what is discussed.
Complementary therapists offer a wide range of treatments throughout the weekend.
All activities are optional.

Weekend details
The weekends run from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, with people arriving from 3:30pm on Friday. They expect everyone is ready by 5:45pm for the Opening Circle.
On Friday evening, they hold a 'Getting to Know You' session, which gives everyone the opportunity to talk in small groups about their reasons for attending, their hopes and expectations for the weekend, as well as voicing any concerns they may have.

Throughout Saturday and on Sunday morning they hold discussion groups, workshops and complementary therapy sessions.

There is plenty of free time during the weekend, which offers an opportunity to relax and network. Many find this the most beneficial aspect of the weekend, as it provides the chance to talk, listen and learn in an informal but safe environment with other people living with HIV.

The weekend is fully catered and there is a bar available in the evening. Most dietary requirements can be accommodated.

The weekends end with a Closing Circle at around 2:45pm on Sunday afternoon.

Bookings by email
 

07967 430797 by phone

by post :

National Long Term Survivors Group
BM LTSG
London WC1N 3XX

Living Proof Weekend dates

2011:

25 - 27 March
8 - 10 July
23 - 25 September
16 - 18 December

2012:

23 - 25 March
6 - 8 July
28 - 30 September
14 - 16 December
 

What people said about their Living Proof weekend experience

"Just what I needed at this time, a lovely group of people, everyone I met here was friendly and I did not feel excluded."

"The best thing was getting to make new friends and meeting old ones; meeting other positive people and coming together as a group "

"I enjoy the weekend away from home. As a long-term survivor, I enjoy passing on my experiences and learning from new and old members. It goes a long way in helping a person living with HIV, and I leave refreshed and wanting to do more."

"The best thing was discovering other people's example of how they deal with the virus: peer support - sharing experiences - able to relax completely - a chance for personal recharge."

April Residential Weekend PLUS

posted: 21/01/2011

The success of the last Residential Weekend PLUS held in September 2010, has led to demand for another, on the weekend of April 1st to 3rd. We are holding it in the Peaks, at Whaley Bridge.

Gay or bisexual man who are interested in taking part need to have attended one of our previous weekends for gay and bi men living with HIV.

Weekend PLUS is to help you take the next 'step up' from your first residential weekend.

We’ve designed Weekend PLUS to provide the maximum time for discussion, reflection and the sharing of your experiences. A key part of the experience for everyone will be an individual reflection session with a qualified worker.

When
Residential Weekend PLUS runs from lunchtime on Friday April 1st to the afternoon of Sunday April 3rd.
 

Your transport from George House Trust, meals and accommodation at Whaley Bridge are all provided free.

Interested?
There are a limited number of places on this weekend. If you would like to join the weekend please email Colin Armstead, Service and Development Manager to say you are interested.

What some men said about the last Weekend PLUS :

The weekend really helped me to identify where I am now - and to look clearly at what I need for the future

I learned so much from the other men and really now feel focussed on making positive changes

It helped me connect, and gave me support and direction

Residential Weekend PLUS is financially supported by

Image : Whaley Bridge canal basin © Copyright Bill Booth and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Positive Gay Men’s Weekend

posted: 13/10/2010

The next of these popular residential weekends for HIV positive gay men will be in early November, in Whaley Bridge. The residential weekend is an opportunity to explore and discuss issues around living with HIV, with other men, in a safe and comfortable environment.
 

The weekend is led by Colin Armstead, George House Trust Service and Development Manager, and Alistair Gault, a freelance trainer. A George House Trust counsellor will also be available over the weekend.
 

You must have been diagnosed HIV positive for longer than 12 months to take part in the weekend.
 

Transport, meals and accommodation are all provided free of charge, with funding from the Elton John Aids Foundation.
 

When?
Friday November 5th (early evening) to Sunday evening 7th May 2010
 

What other men say
'The weekend has given me a real boost and I feel now like I can face some of my issues in a constructive way and really move forward'
Thanks for a great weekend which has helped me think about how I deal with some of my fears and anxieties about living with HIV'
The weekend gave me a sense of space and safety to be able to talk more confidently about living with HIV now and in the future'
 

Booking
If you would like to know more about the weekend, or you would like to book a place, please email Colin or call him on 0161 274 4499.

Booking Form

Weekend for HIV Positive Gay and Bi Men Working in HIV

posted: 16/09/2010

Double the Impact? This is name for our free full weekend workshop for gay and bisexual men who are both living with HIV and  working in the HIV sector. Are you a gay or bisexual man living with HIV? Do you work in the HIV sector, or in any role which involves supporting or advising other HIV positive people?
If so, this Double the Impact?  Saturday and Sunday weekend workshop is for you.
 

The course – which is not residential – is an opportunity for workers to:

• discuss the impact of working in HIV while living with HIV
• examine the role that HIV plays in personal and professional life
• look at ways of coping with the impact HIV work has
• share experiences and hear from others
• examine personal support networks and their usefulness
• plan for the future

When?       Saturday October 2nd (9.30am start) to Sunday October 3rd (3.30pm finish)
Where?     George House Trust, Ardwick Green, Manchester
 

The course is facilitated by Colin Armstead, Service and Development Manager, George House Trust
 

Please note that you will be responsible for your own travel and accommodation arrangements and costs. We will provide lunch on the Saturday and Sunday.
 

Book Now        Places for this weekend workshop are strictly limited – and there are only a few paces left. If you would like to take part, please email Colin at George House Trust to say you are interested and he will send you an application form.
 

This weekend is free and funded by the Elton John Aids Foundation